The Wuyi Mountains, also called Wuyishan (Chinese: 武夷山; pinyin: Wǔyí Shān; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bú-î-soaⁿ), are a mountain range in the Nanping prefecture of northern Fujian province, near the border with Jiangxi province in China. The highest point in the area is Mount Huanggang, which reaches 2,158 meters (7,080 feet) at the border of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. This makes it the highest spot in both provinces. The lowest areas in the region are about 200 meters (660 feet) above sea level.

The Wuyi Mountains are famous for producing oolong and black teas, such as Da Hong Pao ("big red robe") and lapsang souchong, which are sold as Wuyi tea. The area is known worldwide for protecting many rare and unique plant species, its striking river valleys, and the many important temples and archaeological sites found there. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Wuyi Mountains are located between Wuyishan City in the Nanping prefecture of northwest Fujian province and the Wuyishan city in Shangrao city of northeast Jiangxi province.

Description

The mountains have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 because of their cultural, scenic, and biodiversity importance.

The site covers 99,975 hectares and is divided into four main areas. Three of these are ecological zones: the Nine-bend Stream Ecological Protection Area (36,400 hectares) in the center, with the Wuyishan National Nature Reserve (56,527 hectares) to the west and the Wuyishan National Scenic Area (7,000 hectares) to the east. The fourth area is a cultural preservation zone, the Protection Area for the Remains of the Ancient Han Dynasty (48 hectares), located about 15 kilometers to the southeast of the other areas. These four main areas are surrounded by an additional buffer zone of 27,888 hectares. Some parts of the Wuyishan National Nature Reserve are protected more strictly as part of the Fujian and Jiangxi Wuyishan Biosphere Reserves, which are part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

The region is part of the Cathaysian fold system and has had high volcanic activity and the formation of large fault structures. These features were later shaped by water erosion and weathering. The landscape includes winding river valleys with columnar or dome-shaped cliffs and cave systems. In the western part of the Wuyi Mountains, peaks are made of volcanic or plutonic rocks, while in the eastern area, peaks and hills are composed of red sandstone, which forms steep slopes with flat tops (Danxia landform). The bedrock in the western part of Wuyi Shan is mainly tuff, rhyolite, and granite, while red sandstone is more common farther east. Elevation ranges from 200 meters (656 feet) to 2,158 meters (7,080 feet). The terrain is rugged, with cliffs and high peaks. Many caves exist in the mountains, and some have been explored and opened to the public.

The Jiuqu Xi River (also called the Nine-bend River or Jiuqu River), about 60 kilometers long, flows through a deep gorge among the hills. In most places, it is a slow, shallow stream that can only be navigated by small boats like rowboats and canoes. However, at one point, the river narrows to just a few meters in width but reaches a depth of 80 meters (260 feet).

The Wuyi Mountains act as a barrier that blocks cold air from the northwest and holds in warm, moist air from the sea. This creates a humid climate (80 to 85% humidity) with high rainfall (an average of 2,200 millimeters in the southwest and 3,200 millimeters in the north) and frequent fog. At lower elevations, the average yearly temperature ranges from 12°C to 18°C.

The area has little pollution. The Chinese government established its first air-quality monitoring station in the region on January 31, 2005.

Lower elevations have a humid subtropical climate with an average yearly temperature of about 18°C (64°F) and an average yearly rainfall of at least 220 centimeters (86.6 inches). Higher elevations are cooler and wetter, and winters can bring snow to the highest peaks.

Biodiversity

The Wuyi Mountains are the largest and most important example of Chinese subtropical forests and the variety of life found in southern Chinese rainforests. The area's ecosystem has existed since before the Ice Age, about 3 million years ago. Scientists have studied the region's plants and animals in the field since 1873.

The types of plants in the area depend on the height above sea level. At lower elevations, forests with broad leaves that stay green all year are most common. At higher elevations, these trees are replaced by those that lose their leaves seasonally or have needle-like leaves. The region is divided into 11 main forest types:

• Temperate coniferous forest
• Warm coniferous forest
• Temperate mixed forest (broad-leaved and coniferous)
• Deciduous and broad-leaved forest
• Mixed forest (evergreen broad-leaved and deciduous)
• Evergreen broad-leaved forest
• Bamboo forest
• Deciduous broad-leaved shrub forest
• Evergreen broad-leaved shrub forest
• Brush-wood
• Meadow steppe

Evergreen broad-leaved forests are the most common. Some of these forests are among the largest remaining areas of humid subtropical forests in the world. The region has more than 2,800 types of plants, including 1,107 genera and 284 families. There are also 840 types of fungi and lower plants. The most common tree families include beech (Fagaceae), laurel (Lauraceae), camellia (Theaceae), magnolia (Magnoliaceae), Elaeocarpaceae, and witch-hazel (Hamamelidaceae).

The Wuyi Mountains are known for having many different kinds of animals, including rare and unusual species. About 5,000 animal species live in the area. Of these, 475 are vertebrates (animals with backbones), and 4,635 are insects. Vertebrates include:

• 49 species found only in China
• 3 species found only in the Wuyi Mountains: David's parrotbill (Neosuthora davidiana), Pope's spiny toad (Vibrissaphora liui), and the bamboo snake (Pseudoxenodon karlschmidti)

Other animals in the area that are at risk of disappearing include the South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), hairy-fronted muntjac (Muntiacus crinifrons), mainland serow (Capricornis milneedwardsii, a type of goat-antelope), Cabot's tragopan (Tragopan caboti), Chinese black-backed pheasant (Syrmaticus ellioti), Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus), and the golden Kaiser-i-Hind (Teinopalpus aureus, a type of swallowtail butterfly).

Human history and culture

Human settlement on the slopes of Mount Wuyi dates back 4,000 years, as shown by archaeological remains. During the Western Han dynasty, the ancient city of Chengcun was the capital of the Minyue kingdom. In the 7th century, the Wuyi Palace was built for emperors to hold sacrificial ceremonies, a site that remains open for visitors today. The mountains were an important center for Taoism and later Buddhism. Remains of 35 academies built from the Northern Song to the Qing dynasty and more than 60 Taoist temples and monasteries have been found. However, most of these remains are not well preserved. Some places with real remains include the Taoyuan Temple, the Wannian Palace, the Sanqing Hall, the Tiancheng Temple, the Baiyun Temple, and the Tianxin Temple. The area is where Neo-Confucianism began, a movement that became very influential starting in the 11th century.

Ceremonies called Mountain Call and Mountain Open take place in the Wuyi imperial tea garden. On Jingzhe Day, the county magistrate presided over the Mountain Call ceremony. During the ceremony, tea growers shouted together, "tea, tea, sprout," to pray for a good tea harvest.

Special meals called Liu Qin are held during leap years and leap months. During these times, parents or brothers must invite their married daughters and sisters to return home for meals. If parents are still alive, they make the invitation; otherwise, brothers do so.

The number of visitors to the area increased from about 424,000 in 1993 to 700,000 in 1998. A raft trip down the Nine-bend River is the most popular activity. Another major attraction is Fuxi Cave, where the narrowest passage, called the Thread of Sky, is less than 40 centimeters wide. Nearby, Roaring Tiger Rock has a cave where wind creates a loud roaring sound. The Tiancheng Temple, built in 1707, has a large rock-relief statue of the Chinese goddess of mercy carved directly into the mountainside. Two other caves, Ling Cave and Feng Cave, are also open for exploration. At least one guided-tour company offers combined tours of these features. Access to biodiversity-protection areas in the mountains is limited to preserve the environment.

Tea

The Wuyi Mountains have a long history of growing tea. The four most well-known types of Wuyi rock-essence tea are called the Si Da Ming Cong ('Four Great Cultivars'): Da Hong Pao ('Big Red Robe'), Tie Luo Han ('Iron Arhat'), Bai Jiguan ('White Cockscomb'), and Shui Jin Gui ('Golden Water Turtle'). Another type of tea, Lapsang souchong, also comes from this area.

The Wuyi Mountains are the birthplace of tea-picking opera. This type of performance came from local dances and songs. The shows are funny and focus on everyday life in the tea-growing region. Tea-picking opera shows the rural lifestyle and traditions of Hakka culture. Because of this, it is popular among local people.

Impression Da Hong Pao is a large outdoor show that highlights Chinese tea culture. It tells the history of tea and shows how tea is made in the Wuyi Mountain area. The show lasts 70 minutes and takes place in an open landscape. It is the first theater in the world that uses the natural environment as part of the performance.